When parties travel to a new location, they can employ directions to assist in finding a route. Common directional schemes provide turn-by-turn steps an operator can employ to reach a destination. The steps can include official highway information (e.g., take Fifth Avenue, State Highway 631.) as well as distance information (e.g., you will be on Fifth Avenue for 23.2 miles.)
Various computer programs are available to assist an operator in producing directions. Conventional visual direction generation programs provide both text directions (e.g., turn left on Main Street) as well as a map highlighting a suggested route to be used by the operator. A problem with visual direction types is that it forces the operator to take her eyes off the road. Shifting attention away from vehicle operation can lead to an increase probability of accidents as well as the possibility of missing critical information (e.g., a street sign.)
To eliminate some of the problems associated with visual directions, various other alternatives have been developed. One of the more popular alternatives is direction systems integrated with audio instructions. In addition to having a visual display, a digital voice sends audio instructions to a user. This allows users to focus visual resources on operating the vehicle.
When taking a route, users commonly can notice landmarks along the route. For example, if an operator is running low on fuel, the operator likely will take note of the location of a re-fuel station. Some landmarks are more distinctive and have a greater change of being remembered. For example, some cities can have iconic structures located throughout a city that service as landmarks (e.g., painted cows, painted guitars, etc.) These landmarks are commonly memorable to a user that a user associates with a location.